Sound Signal Processing Device Frequency Band Extraction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing sound signal processing technologies face challenges in effectively extracting main sounds from mixed sounds, particularly in removing leakage and reverberant sounds without compromising sound quality or limiting audition positions.

Innovation Solution

A sound signal processing device that divides mixed sound signals into frequency bands, calculates level ratios between main and unnecessary sounds, and adjusts time differences to extract the main sound, allowing for accurate separation without pseudo-waveform deduction or phase cancellation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-generated harmful factors

If waveforms of pseudo reverberant sound are generated and deducted from mixed sound on the time axis, then reverberant sound can be removed, but sound quality becomes poor unless waveforms are accurately generated

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereverberant soundVSAvoidsound quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the sound signal into multiple frequency bands and processes each band separately. By dividing the reverberation removal task across frequency bands, the system can accurately generate pseudo reverberant waveforms for each band without compromising overall sound quality, resolving the contradiction between removing reverberation and maintaining sound quality

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the processing approach from time-axis deduction to frequency-domain analysis. By transforming the problem into the frequency domain and using level ratio calculations, the system can more accurately identify and remove reverberant components while preserving the quality of direct sound, thus resolving the quality degradation issue

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Object-generated harmful factors

If a phase-inverted wave of reverberant sound is generated and emanated from an auxiliary speaker, then reverberant sound can be cancelled, but audience positions where cancellation occurs are limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereverberant soundVSAvoidaudience position flexibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts reverberant sound components from the mixed sound signal through frequency band analysis and level ratio calculation. By separating the reverberation from the direct sound in the frequency domain and removing it digitally, the system eliminates the need for physical auxiliary speakers, thereby enabling reverberation cancellation for all audience positions without spatial limitations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical approach of using auxiliary speakers for phase cancellation with a digital signal processing approach. By using frequency domain analysis and level ratio-based separation, the system achieves reverberation removal through computational methods rather than physical acoustic cancellation, thus providing universal effectiveness across all listening positions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Loss of information

If mixed sound is processed to remove leakage sound, then sound separation can be achieved, but sound quality deteriorates due to inaccurate waveform generation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveleakage sound separationVSAvoidsound quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the sound signal into multiple frequency bands and processes each band independently. This segmentation allows for more precise identification of leakage sound components in each frequency range, enabling effective separation while maintaining the quality of the desired sound through frequency-specific processing

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transforms the leakage sound removal process from time-domain waveform manipulation to frequency-domain level ratio analysis. This parameter change enables more accurate identification and separation of leakage components without the quality degradation associated with time-axis waveform deduction

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP2437260B1Sound signal processing device and method
Publication Date: 2014.05.14 ROLAND CORP
  • EP2437260B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2437260B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2437260B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A sound signal processing device that is capable of suitably extracting main sound from mixed sound in which unnecessary sound (for example, leakage sound and reverberant sound) is mixed with the main sound. More specifically, a mixed sound signal in the time domain including first sound and second sound, and a target sound signal in the time domain including sound corresponding to at least the second sound, which have temporal relation in their entirety or in part, are each divided into a plurality of frequency bands. A level ratio between the two signals is calculated at each frequency. Based on the level ratio, a signal of the first sound that is included in the mixed sound signal is extracted.